The Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) launched its “In De Community” campaign and commenced its activities with Read Across Jamaica Day on Tuesday.

Teams led by commissioner of INDECOM Hugh Faulkner visited nine schools, across seven parishes, to engage with students and encourage literacy.

The students were treated to the inspiring words of Jamaican author Kellie Magnus, through her books Little Lion Goes for Gold and Little Lion Goes To School. A total of 16 of these books were donated to the school libraries, after the reading sessions.

Faulkner expressed his gratitude to the INDECOM staff for their willingness to participate in this initiative when the opportunity was presented, and also to the schools that facilitated his teams.

The commission was represented by members of the Commissioner’s Office, Operation, Legal and Corporate Services Departments, across all three regional offices.

“It was truly a joy to share with the next generation as they listened, read and expressed their desires for the future. The men and women of INDECOM intend to contribute to nation building through their important professional responsibilities but also by participating in initiatives that encourage intellectual empowerment.

‘In De Community’ is INDECOM’s corporate social responsibility initiative aimed at engaging people on issues, including but not limited to its core mandate.

According to Faulkner, the first 10 years of the commission were spent on ensuring that a strong and stable foundation was established for the accountability of the nation’s Security Forces.

He said for this next phase, INDECOM intends to ensure that greater emphasis is placed on citizen and community relations.

“INDECOM will be ‘in de communities’ making strident steps to effect change by educating and engaging at the community level. The commission verily believes that informed persons make better decisions, and it is our long term desire to see a reduction in citizen complaints, of adverse contact with the security forces, especially in the areas of assaults and shooting incidents.

“When citizens and the security forces understand their respective roles and responsibilities and their actions are guided by the rule of law the interactions can only change for the better,” said Faulkner who joined several Jamaicans in celebrating Read Across Jamaica Day.